Bagging tomato flowers

[JRinPA]

Planted across from 2 big beefs! You wouldn't want that! BTW is there a thread for that contest/growout?

[karstopography]

I’m wondering what the percentage of crossing happens with unbagged tomatoes? 100%, .001%, where in between those numbers?

[JRinPA]

I think it depend a lot on the individual garden. For mine I would guess...1 in 200? Maybe more. I plant close, but try to keep them in groups and take from the middle. Bumblebees are busy some mornings.

A substantially greater chance if you hand buzz them with tooth brush. I use tuning fork, may or may not be better. Certainly awesome-er.

[karstopography]

This might be the first year where a grown out tomato didn’t reflect the general description of the tomato. 2023 MMMM swap seed, purportedly Aker’s West Virginia, but tomato doesn’t resemble that tomato’s description at all.

Was there a seed sorting error, an unintentional cross, or what? I’ll never know

[MrBig46]

I follow the rule that I do not offer seeds from unbagged flowers to anyone. If I had something rare and offered seeds from unprotected flowers, I would point out that the seeds are from unbagged flowers. If the seeds are for my own use, I have no problem using unbagged seeds.
Vladimír

[Whwoz]

I’m wondering what the percentage of crossing happens with unbagged tomatoes? 100%, .001%, where in between those numbers?

I would say that it happens more than we realise but that most of the affected fruit get eaten rather than used for saving seed. I have had several lots of seed produce atypical fruit from my own plants in years when I have not bagged fruit. Some of these are fruit that I will follow up with due to parentage, but just haven't had the time to do so yet.